World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman commits to June 14 Brockton visit

World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman said he hopes to bring boxing legends Lou Duva and Angelo Dundee to Brockton when he visits June 14 to plan the Rocky Marciano statue, which the WBC has pledged to fund.

By Erik Potter

The Enterprise, Brockton, MA

By Erik Potter

Posted Feb. 22, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 22, 2011 at 10:11 PM

By Erik Potter

Posted Feb. 22, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 22, 2011 at 10:11 PM

BROCKTON

» Social News

World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman said he hopes to bring boxing legends Lou Duva and Angelo Dundee to Brockton when he visits June 14 to plan the Rocky Marciano statue, which the WBC has pledged to fund.

Sulaiman said from Mexico Thursday that he was planning to invite Duva and Dundee, two of the most successful trainers of the 20th century, to accompany him on his tour of Brockton. Sulaiman expects to bring five other WBC officials as well when he fulfills a promise to visit the city to show his organization’s commitment to the statue project.

Duva was a close friend of Rocky’s and trained Evander Holyfield. Dundee trained such greats as Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard

“(This) tells how powerful this thing is,” said Rocky’s younger brother, Peter Marciano. “These guys are busy guys. I know them both very well. It just shows you how powerful this thing is, this statue coming to the city of Brockton. The respect these guys had for Rocky Marciano is being shown by them appearing here.”

Sulaiman also confirmed in an email Wednesday to local attorney Lawrence Siskind, chairman of the Rocky Marciano Statue Committee, that he would arrive here June 14, after he attends the International World Boxing Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Canastota, N.Y., which concludes June 12.

Sulaiman is the 30-year president of the WBC, which has promised to pay for a large bronze statue of Marciano, the only undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing history.

Sulaiman said he also hopes to bring Mario Rendon, the statue’s sculptor, on his visit as well.

Originally from Fall River, Sulaiman now lives in Mexico City, where the WBC is headquartered. He said he hasn’t been back to Massachusetts in several years, and plans to visit family in Fall River after his trip to Brockton.

Brockton’s statue committee will be rolling out the red carpet for Sulaiman’s visit. Preliminary plans call for a bus tour of Brockton, focusing on the city and Rocky’s history, a meeting with Mayor Linda Balzotti, a dinner in his honor and taking in a game at the Rox.

“Everybody is just getting more excited,” Siskind said. “This is now cementing the relationship we have with the WBC and their volunteer of the payment for the Rocky statue. So this is a giant, giant step.”

Sulaiman said he hopes to, while he’s in Brockton, look at the proposed site of the statue – in front of Rocky Marciano Stadium at Brockton High School – and talk with the committee about the best place to put it. The size of the statue is unclear, although Sulaiman had initially said it could be 26-feet high.

“I would like to be totally convinced with them of the best place, because we don’t want to do something basic. We want it to be in a place where people go to see Rocky, not something else,” Sulaiman said. “But the committee has a better view of the situation, and whatever they want, we’ll go there. But I would like to talk with them to express to them my feelings and be sure that where they want to put the statue is the best place for Rocky.”